ainswobth



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

s. AINSWORTH. FLEXIBLE PIPE JOINT GPLNG.

Patented Sept. 1, 1868;

me mams PETERS cu.. PHGYQUTHQ, wAsHmcToN. DA c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. AINSWORTH. FLEXIBLE PIPE JoINT GOUELING.

Patented Sept. l, 1868.

'gleiten tutes @anni @Hire SQUIRE AINSWORTH, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters .Patent No. 81,572, dated September 1, 1868.

A IMPRDVEMENT IN FLEXIBLE PIPE-JOINT GOUPLI'NGS.

ttige tintnie nient In in tigen ietttrs hnelt mit making niet nf its tato.

TO ALL 'WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, SQUIRE-AINSWORTH, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny, and State of Penn Sylvania, have invented incertain new and ugeful Joint or Coupling for Steam and other Pipes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a'flll, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are maddi. part of this specification.

My invention is intended, primarily, for connecting the heating-apparatus in a train of railroad-cars, but is also capable of use in any other connection where a swivel or universal joint is necessary, either in steam, gas, or other pipes..

My invention consists, first, in making the joint proper of conical er V-form; and secondly, in a novel construction of coupling-nut, and an arrangement for adapting the pipes to automatically uncouple, in case of accident, as hereinafter more fully described.v

In the drawings- Figure 1 represents an elevation of a combination of swivels, elbows, 85e., for connecting the steam-heating apparatus in o. pair of'rnilroad-cars, showing the spr/ing coupling-nut in thonet of opening.

Figure 2 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of n mule swivel, detached.

Figures 3 and 4 are different views, on the same scale as iig. 2, of the spring coupling-nut, detached, a. portion in one of the views being broken away to more'clearly illustrate its construction.

Figure 5 represents a .straight joint.

Figure 6 is o. longitudinal sectionof c, spring swivel-joint of a number of sections.

Figure 7 represents a single-elbow joint.

Figure S represents a double-elbow joint.

'Figure i) is :in elevation of a. combination of swivels, elbows, 85o., similar to that represented in iig. 1, with o diff-:rent form of conplingmut Figure 10 is a detached view of a. female swivel."

Figure 11 is a detached view of a centre mule elbow.

Figures 12 and 13 are detached views of different forms of female elbows."

Figures 14, 15, 1G, and 17 represent, respectively, dil'erent forms of nuts Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

aand I represent, respectively, thermale and female parts of my conical or V"joint, said parts being so round as to he perfectly steam-tight without packing, and yet to allow of being freely turned, which is readily accomplished hy the ordinary modes of grinding.

A (iigs. 1, 8, 9, end represents what I term a centre male elbow. Each end of this elbow istapered A so as to form u male V, a, and is alsok provided with an external screw-thread or groove, ai, as represented in figs. 8, 9, und 11, or flange ay, as represented in lig. 1. j

B B represent female elbows, being provided at one end with a conical or V-shaped cup, (forming thc female ht/Win) for the reception of the tapered auth-a, of the elbow A, or a corrcspondingpart, and having an external ilange, if?, to adept it to hev clamped thereto'. At the other end, said elbow is provided with the customary nLernelly-threaded socket of, or externally-threaded as at 5*, for attachment to the end of a pipe.

C represents a clamping-nut, which may he of any of the dillercnt external forms represented, and internally is provided with o flange or shoulder, cit, for engagementwith the flange t* of the elbow B, or a. corresponding part, end a serew-thrced, ci, for engagement with the external thread osi, on the elbow A, or a coriespondin; pei-t. Suid nut muy benlso provided with a set-screw, E, for the purpose of locking it in position, and, if preferred, lic-'dividedlongitudinally, as represented in figs. 9, 14, and IE5, or transversely, as represented in iig. 1T, to facilitate withdrawzil, being in either cese provided with a tongueand-groove or other suitahlejoint, und any suitable fastenii'igi v C rerresents the s rino con' linwnut the construction of which will be best understood b Areference to l" r3 i:` ,7 A y gs. 2 and4. This nut is composed of two parts, hinged together at cl and recessed at c2, so as to adapt the end in which said recesses are provided, to be collapsed, to open the other end, as represented in fig. 1. This nut is provided internally with a ilange, c, in line with its hinging pivots, for engagement with the externallyflanged end of a female swivel, Dl, or a, corresponding part, and at its front end with a groove, c, correspending in form with the iiange a"F1 of the centre elbow A, or a corresponding part, for engagement with said part.

A. pair of coiled springs, K, applied in .the recesses c2, serve to hold the coupling in its closed position.

c5 c5 are lugs, to adapt it to beoperated by hand.

In addition to the provision for uncoupling byhand, (which is all that is necessary, except when the device is used for coupling thefsteameapparatus of cars, and even in that case when no automaticiuncouplingarrangement is provided in4 the careouplingsJ said nut or nuts may be provided with suitable holes or staples for the' attachment of aehain or chains, G, the other end ci' which is attached to the car or--to the stationary pipes, as shown in fig. 1, its length beingfso adjusted as that any unusual opening of the cars, by first acting on it, shall open the spring-nut, andseparate the two parts of the coupling, thus preventing the possibility of Athe pipes separating in any other place, in case of suchoecurrenee D (figs.y 2, 5, and 7) represents a male swivel," which is provided at one end with a male V, a, and a suitable external flange, dik, or screw, threaded for engagement with a coupling-nut, and at the other with an external or internalvscrew-thread, di, for attachment to theccrrespondingly-provided end of a pipe.

Dl represents the female swiveljf which is provided at one end with a daring or V-shaped cup, forming the female V, b, for the reception of the correspondingV end, a, ofthe swivel D, or a corresponding part and an external flange or screw-thread, cZpfor the reception of the clamping-nut, and an ,external or internal screwthread, dll, for attachment to the end of a pipe. I

D2 D3 D, iig. 6, represent different forms of, swivels, for forming a straight spring swivel-joint, their external danges d2 d3 ol4 being perforated for the reception of straight springs K', which serve toretii'rn them to a normal position after being turned therefrom. Any suitable means may be employedfor connecting them,

and their number increased or diminishedas may he found necessary. I

F F, figs. 1, 6, and 9,represent thestationary pipes, and F F sections of pipe for imparting the necessary length to the coupling. n

It is obvious that the springs K inay also be applied to combinations of elbows, or elbows and swivels, in

the saine or a similar manner to that in which they)r are applied to swivels alone, when desired.

The manner of applying and connecting the different part-s, te form the different combinations, will be readily-understood, by one`acquaintcd with the art to which my invention belongs, without detailed description, the male of each part fitting alike the female of every other part, and vice cerca. i i

I am aware that a ball-and-socliet joint may be made to operate for the purpose herein set forth, but its operation is'imperfect, and its adaptedness is soon impaired. Its tendency to dip requires greater strength in the lateral support, and consequently produces greater friction. Its wear soon enlarges the space surrounding the ball, without the possibility of repair, and hence permits leakage for a time, or the early abandonment of the joint'and the parts connecting it.y In the present apparatus all these evils are avoided. The conoid form of -thejoint permits the descent, like a wedge, of the male part, rather inducing a closer and better fitting as long as the joint shall remain in use.

I therefore claim- Y 1. A pipo-connection, consisting of a conical recessin the end of one pipe, and a frustum o1 a cone at the termination of the end of the other, .said pipes being so held together, by a clamp or other adequate means of support, as to permit the rotary movement of one or both of the said pipes without variation from theplane of said movement, all as and for the purpose heretofore described. I

:2. In combination with the foregoing,` the spring-hinged coupling-nut C', constructed substantially in the manner described, forthe purpose specified.

3. 'lhe chain Gr, in combination with the spring-coupling C', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

\ sonnen AINSWORTH.

Witnesses: v

JAMES L. EWIN, J. E. M. Bows-N. 

